Andi Weimann nets screamer as Bristol City cruise to victory against Blackpool

A second-half thunderbolt from Andi Weimann helped Bristol City defeat relegation battlers Blackpool 2-0 at Ashton Gate, as the Robins ended their three-match winless run.

Jerry Yates spurned the best chance of the first half when he made a mess of a one-on-one against Max O’Leary after Zak Vyner missed his header.

A moment of magic from Weimann put the hosts in front when his left-footed curler fizzed into the top corner of the Blackpool goal with 58 minutes on the clock. Alex Scott added a second with less than 10 minutes to play, following a poor clearance from Blackpool’s defence.

The Robins move up two places into 12th, while Blackpool remain in the bottom three.

The visitors went into the match with eight players missing through injury, and their luck didn’t look like changing when after just 30 seconds Gary Madine’s innocuous challenge on Cam Pring left the ex-Cardiff City man in need of medical attention.

Madine attempted to carry on but had to be replaced before the fifth minute, Morgan Rogers came on in his place.

The early stoppage somewhat halted the tempo of the match, but City were keen to get a foothold and came close when Andy King got on the end of Jay Dasilva’s cross and prodded towards goal, though the veteran likely would’ve been ruled offside.

Mark Sykes has been City’s in-form attacker this calendar year with five goals to his name, but the winger almost turned provider when his cross found Weimann in the box with his back to goal. The captain attempted an overhead kick but the shot floated behind.

City struggled to attack with any real fluency for the opening 20 minutes, but they then began to find some rhythm down the right-hand side.

Anis Mehmeti and Sykes began to cause more problems, while the Tangerines retained a threat of their own. Jordan Gabriel got into the penalty area and O’Leary was relieved to see his cross deflect kindly into his hands.

Moments later, Mick McCarthy’s side had a glorious opportunity to take the lead. Chris Maxwell’s goal kick was missed by everyone and bounced through to Yates, the ex-Swindon striker ran through against O’Leary, but could only scuff his shot wide from eight yards out.

Mehmeti went on a mazy run and saw his effort blocked before the break, as the score was level after 45 minutes.

The Albanian talent began the second period in similar fashion, he attacked Jordan Gabriel and jinked past the centre back into the area, before his shot was eventually blocked once more.

With half an hour to play, the deadlock was broken in brilliant fashion. Weimann picked the ball up on the edge of the box and shifted it onto his left foot. Unopposed, he let fly a powerful curling effort that nestles into the top right of Maxwell’s goal.

The Ashton Gate crowd then began to get louder, as City went in search of a second goal to kill the game off. Mehmeti’s long-range strike flew just over the crossbar, and some dogged defending from the visitors prevented the match from getting away from them.

With 78 minutes played, the Tangerines had an opening. Sonny Carey slid through Rogers who set himself and fired a low shot at O’Leary’s goal, the shot though was under-hit and the City goalkeeper gathered easily.

Blackpool were punished for wasting their chances, when Scott put the game out of reach in the 81st minute. Harry Cornick’s cross was cleared poorly, and Scott was well-placed to slot through defenders and into the net.

City pushed for a third through Mehmeti and Sam Bell, but had to settle for a 2-0 win in the West Country.

Bristol City (4-3-3): Max O'Leary; George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Cameron Pring, Jay Dasilva; Andy King (Omar Taylor-Clarke, 82), Alex Scott, Andi Weimann (C); Mark Sykes (Harry Cornick, 67), Nahki Wells (Sam Bell, 89), Anis Mehmeti.

Substitutes: Nikita Haikin, Kane Wilson, Callum Wood, Omar Taylor-Clarke, Sam Bell, Marlee Francois and Harry Cornick.

Goals: Andi Weiman 57, Alex Scott 81’